1. Field of the Invention
The device of this invention resides in the art of pliers for applying clips and more particularly relates to a hand-operated clip applier which uses closing jaws to apply hog ring clips.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many well known clip appliers in the prior art relating to hog ring type clips. Pliers of the type based on the principle of closing jaws are disclosed early in the prior art. For example in U.S. Pat. No. 130,853 of 1872 to H. W. Hill entitled Improvements in Instruments for Ringing Hogs, the hog ring clips are shown applied by pliers having a jaw with slots formed therein to hold the rings. Many other jaw-type clip appliers have been developed over the years. Such prior art includes a variety of manually and pneumatically operated clip pliers for clenching hog ring type clips with jaw members which close around the clip to clench the clip around the desired object(s).
The present inventor has received patents in this field, the most relevant being U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,973. The clip pliers of that invention rely on intricately-shaped upper and lower jaws that are difficult to machine and may require adjustment during the life of the device.